FAQ

Does this interfere with work/business?
Not so far, aside from spending time in doctors offices and the hospital for all my testing/appointments. I am fully functional even when the episodes are happening (they have happened during client meetings and I don't think the clients even noticed that anything was up). I've only had two really bad days where I felt that I needed to go home and lay down, but if the pattern holds I will be able to predict those and plan around them. I actually have more energy these days since they put me on iron supplements in October. My goal right now is to focus my energy into my business so that if I do need to take time off later, I will still be ok. If my licence gets revoked I may have to move closer to the office. :(


Could this be temporary/stress induced/diet related, etc?
It's too soon to say, but I don't think so. All of the doctors I've seen so far have asked about stress, and I've told them all the same thing: being self-employed is inherently stressful but overall my life is pretty relaxed and I'm far less stressed than I was a year ago. My diet hasn't changed. The episodes are too frequent and too strong to be just random... there is definitely something up. We just have to figure out what it is.


What do the different tests do?
The CT scan and MRI are both looking for abnormal masses in the brain (lesions, tumours, etc.). The EEG is looking for abnormal electrical activity. In an ideal world I would have an episode during the EEG but that didn't happen. She said they can usually pick up a problem regardless. I may need to go back for a sleep-deprived EEG, where they force you to stay up all night and then do the test in the morning. I've also had a ton of blood tests to rule out other possibilities (hormones, thyroid, etc.). My neuro and GP both seem to be very thorough, which is great. They're checking EVERYTHING.


Do you track the episodes?
Yes, I started tracking on October 3 after seeing the first doctor. So I'm missing details from Sept 23-Oct 2, but I have the rest. I'm using an app called Seizure Tracker, which allows me to record length, times, possible triggers, etc, and also allows me to generate and print reports.


How can I help?
So many people have offered help, and I really appreciate it. :) So far there's not much to be done. I'm doing a lot of waiting. The testing happens at our local hospital and I am able to drive myself. If I have to go for a sleep-deprived EEG I may need someone to drive me and/or help me stay up all night. If at any point I need to be in the hospital for a day or longer, I will need someone to take care of Sammy (already have a short-list of people prepared to do that!). Otherwise I just need moral support, which so many people have already provided. Also it's been awesome to have friends who are familiar with the medical and health world, as they have explained things to me and helped me to do research. :)